


Home is wherever I'm with you

by beinmyheart



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Football, Best Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-30 08:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3930676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beinmyheart/pseuds/beinmyheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Oliver Queen is a famous football player for the Central City Comets and there's one question everyone wants to know: why did he come home to Starling City after all these years?</p><p>For Oliver, the answer is simple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home is wherever I'm with you

**Author's Note:**

> A BIG thanks to the lovely longlivefelicitythequeen for editing this!  
> Please go check out her fics on here or Tumblr. They're golden <3

* * *

* * *

* * *

Rain patters on the window outside as Oliver shifts in his seat. He should be used to these interviews by now. After all, he  _is_  Oliver Queen, star quarterback of the Central City Comets, yet he has never been able to adapt to the spotlight.

The interviewer shuffles numerous pages around as he writes down a few quotes from the star footballer. The questions are coming to an end and Oliver is over the moon. He did not want to spend his Sunday morning at a small coffee shop downtown discussing statistics, injuries and the season ahead. No, he has more important things to do, like going back to bed and seeking warmth by curling up to a special certain someone.

The interviewer looks up from his notepad and gives Oliver a small smile.

“Last one I promise, it’s been on everybody’s lips. So, Oliver Queen –superstar of the Central City Comets – why did you come home to Starling City after all these years?”

Oliver chuckles deeply as his mind travels to a blonde beauty with blue sparkling eyes. She’s the same girl he left in this bed this morning, wrapped up like a cocoon in the duvet and mumbling about not forgetting coffee. 

 



 

Oliver Queen met Felicity Smoak when they were eight years old. Miss Jefferson had assigned them to be partners for the joint presentation to the class about their favourite hobbies. So after hours of preparation, Oliver stands up in front of the class, holding a big red poster about football with clammy palms. He hears Felicity from the sidelines.

“Don’t worry Oliver, you can do it. I believe in you!”

She’s been doing that ever since.

 



 

When Laurel and the rest of the cheerleaders in high school were giving him bedroom eyes from the side of the field, it was always Felicity who sat in the bleachers while wearing his number on her back. She would hold a textbook in her hands, frowning in concentration while she studied, ignoring all the hype around her.

But somehow she knew every move he made and without fail she would award him with a happy, “Good game, buddy.” 

 

When he went for college tryouts, Oliver wasn’t in the right state of mind; his head wasn’t in the game.

Laurel had left him for his best friend, Tommy, a week before and his parents were pressuring him to take over the family business instead of pursuing a career in football.

“Why would you waste your time in a sport? It won’t lead you anywhere, son.” His father said with a disapproving frown, “Your future lies in Queen Consolidated.” 

With a heavy heart and a foggy mind, Oliver headed for the try-out, believing his career was doomed before it had even begun. That is until a text from Felicity made a spark of hope ignite within him.

 

_F: Good luck today, Oliver! Ignore Laurel, your parents and get out there and do your best! Do whatever it takes to get that spot. We have faith in you! Love Felicity and Thea x_

_PS. Laurel may have unknowingly donated to some very deserving charities of my choice since she broke your heart ;)_

 

Below the text was a picture of a smiling Felicity in his old high school jersey while his 12-year-old sister wore his college colours, holding a homemade sign that said ‘Go Ollie!’

So he went out there and tried his best.

For Thea. For Felicity.

For himself.

 



 

Oliver’s first interview as the quarterback for the Central City Comets and he’s a nervous wreck. He is so scared that he will stuff up, say the wrong thing, embarrass the team, or, even worse, Felicity. She has been his rock ever since he’s been picked up and going through that awkward stage of up and coming stardom.

Oliver doesn’t know how to pay her back for all her never-ending support.

 _God_ , he doesn’t even want to think about how many late night phone calls she’s been through with him bitching about the coaches or some impossible workout he had to do.

“I just want to make you proud, Felicity.” He says through the phone before he steps into the journalist’s office, voice unsteady.

“Oh Oliver, you’ve always made me proud,” Felicity replies, voice filled with unwavering love, “Look Oliver, sorry but Ray is nudging at me to go before we miss our dinner reservation. Knock them dead, okay?”

The Comet’s first failed attempt at the Super Bowl is just a few weeks after Ray breaks up with Felicity. The pair takes time to wallow in self-pity, Oliver nursing a bruised ego for not even scoring a single touchdown and Felicity nursing a slightly nicked heart that heals every time they speak, text or Skype.

“Felicity, I’ll come home soon. I hope you know that.” Oliver tells her over Skype.

“I know, Oliver. But it’s not time yet, you’ll know when it is. Plus, why would I want to be seen with a Super Bowl runner up? It’ll ruin my street cred.” She laughs.

He gives her a half smile before Oliver’s face turns serious.

“Hey, I’m sorry about Ray. He wasn’t the guy for you anyway.”

“Me too. But I’ve known that for a while now.

 



 

A year later and the Comet’s are up for their second try at winning the Super Bowl trophy. The team is about to go out on the field when Oliver receives a text.

 

_F: Try to get a touchdown for me this year?  ;)_

 

Oliver’s eyes crinkle as he laughs and he thinks how remarkable this woman really is. He quickly replies, hearing the crowd cheer and clap.

 

_O: If it’s you asking, I’ll do it._

 

After he scores the winning touchdown and holds up the trophy with pride to the roaring crowd, he searches for one

person who he knows isn’t there but should be, hoping the universe has a soft spot for destiny and provide him with a miracle. A hollow feeling crashes over him and he knows it’s time.

Time to go home.

He has a suspicious feeling that the universe is telling him that home isn’t always a place.

He’s standing at her door in the middle of the night; he got on the red eye straight from the game, not caring about the celebrations.

But now that he’s here, the nerves have kicked in. He practiced a whole speech on the plane about love, fate and forever, but all of that seems stupid and unworthy because what do you tell your soulmate that you’ve finally made it back to them? That you’ve finally worked out where home is and once you’ve step over the threshold, you’re never ever leaving?

Oliver is about to knock on the door when it slams open revealing a very sleepy and confused Felicity, who’s standing there in her favourite panda PJ’s staring up at him with wide eyes.

“Oliver? Wha- didn’t you just win- I mean, what are you doing here?” she stutters.

All Oliver can do is whisper, “I’m home.” As he reaches for her and leans down to kiss her with everything he has before carrying her to the bedroom.

 

 



 

 

He’s transported back to the interview as the man flips the page over in his notepad, ready to write the answer to the last question he asked. 

Oliver gives his best sincere smile as he answers,

“Simple, my heart always belonged here.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews and kudos make my world go round, lovely people!
> 
> Come and say hi to me on Tumblr: emmajadex1989


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